Posted on 10/14/2009 12:16:22 PM PDT by a fool in paradise
Last week, MTV News unveiled its list of the Hottest MCs in the Game (topped, rightfully so, by none other than Jay-Z). This week marks a key moment in hip-hop history, as the Sugarhill Gang's "Rapper's Delight" — the first real hip-hop single — was unleashed a full 30 years ago. If you had described the concept of "Rapper's Delight" to somebody ("Hey, I've got this breakdown in the middle of a disco song — let me rhythmically recite poetry over it!") in the age before rap music, that person probably would have rolled his eyes at the very concept. But the concept certainly took off, and after "Rapper's Delight" impacted the pop charts, hip-hop as a commercial force was born and it has rarely relinquished its hold on pop music since.
Though the track consists of the same repetitive bass loop and the rhyming styles of Wonder Mike, Big Bank Hank and Master Gee all sound pretty pedestrian by today's standards, "Rapper's Delight" holds up amazingly well. It set an incredible precedent for everything that game after it, as the lyrics are full of boasting, comedy, personal stories and even a bit of danger — basically, the four core tenets of any decent rap song. (Champs like Jigga can do all four in the same line.) The Sugarhill Gang still dust off the lines from "Rapper's Delight" from time to time, but their indestructible legacy is forever cemented by the song and the vast influence they had on everybody who came after them.
And society has been better for it ever since..not!
WTF is this "the first REAL" hip hop nonsense all about?
Rappers today cite The Last Poets, Iceberg Slim, Rudy Ray Moore, and Blowfly (who had Rap Dirty back in 1965) all of whom are pre-1975.
There is also Jaggerz's The Rapper (1970).
And if we look to country there is One Piece At A Time, I've Been Everywhere, Smoke The Cigarette, The Hot Rod Race and countless other rapped songs (spoken word, often in rhyme, over a beat).
In the summer if '81, my roommate, from the Bronx, returned from a trip home with a 10" record in a blue jacket, and played this disk for us in the record player. He said it was this new thing called "rap" that was big in New York. We played it so many times that I memorized the damn thing. It was innocent fun back then. Little did I know that it would become the music format of choice for all black and some white people, and in the process, become obscenely vulgar. The debasement of national culture continues apace.
I vote for I’ve Been Eveywhere by J. Cash.
It was a just a rip-off of Chic’s “Good Times.”
Every, Evey, Eveery, Evel, whatevah.
But it was obscenely vulgar circa 1970. Rudy Ray Moore would appear full naked photophed on his album covers with numerous naked women.
How about “The Auctioneer” by Leroy Van Dyke?
What about “Ringo” by Loren Greene?
I like the old lady in Happy Gilmore’s version better!
modern rap is nothing other than synchopated tribal grunting.
Listen to this music video of "Crosstown Traffic":
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YUCNsZXCd58
Right after the 1 minute mark, it sounds just like every hip-hop song I've ever heard.
And it was released in 1969.
It boiled down to economics, producing rap records and hiring rap artists is cheap, compared to real bands who play instruments.
Or "Lucy in the Sky, With Diamonds", by William Shatner?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D-yy2URAYqU
You can't make this stuff up.
When this started I remember thinking surely this will die-off soon, like disco. But no, they keep churning it out.
I prefer Shat’s take on “Mr. Tambourine Man”. Truly mind-munching!
The same was true of discos. Play records (and sell drugs) rather than pay and promote bands.
To get decent happy rap you have to go to Japan:
Home Sweet Home: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SIwP5Xk_NZg
Viva Rocks: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qd9g1GsUc7w
Viva Rocks ver2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xXC8cWccU_U
It’s not like every hip-hop song ever released. All hip-hop songs released since 2000 have to mention going to “the club”, emphasis on “UB”.
For both music style and lyrics, Bob Dylan’s “Subterranean Homesick Blues” from 1965 could be counted as one of the first rap songs.
What about “Surfin’ Bird.”
Yep.
They stole that from The Rivingtons. Merged The Riv’s The Bird Is The Word together with The Riv’s Papa Oom Mow Mow (they left Mama Oom Mow Mow alone).
Eventually the Rivingtons won the songwriter credit for Surfin Bird.
The Trashmen were still a great band. And The Rivingtons may not have been as remembered (or financially well off) as they are if not for Surfin Bird.
I have the mp3 on my computer at work. Every so often it’ll come on when someone’s in my office and I hear “Who IS that?!?!” in incredulous tones.
Saturday Night Fish Fry!
Louis Jordan, Roy Milton, Johnny Otis, Joe Liggins and all those other post-war, pre-rock and roll rhythm and blues guys are on heavy rotation at my house.
Don’t know about that, but whoever Rudy Ray Moore was, he was fringe. Go to iTunes, or Napster, and see who is listed in the top 100 songs. It is about 70 percent rap, 20 percent country, and a smattering of actual rock and roll.
Al Yankovic's palindromic parody, "Bob" is pure genius...
Rudy Ray Moore is dead. I think he died last year.
The top 3 sampled people in hip hop are (no specific order):
James Brown
Rudy Ray Moore
Blowfly
Their impact was huge, all 3 permitted the sampling (with Rudy and Blowfly even working sessions for contemporary albums), and all 3 profited from it (James Brown was okay with it so long as he got paid).
The wikipedia links are safe for work, but the performers own websites probably are NOT.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rudy_Ray_Moore
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blowfly_(artist)
I’m in a Bullmoose Jackson phase right now. Along with Earl Bostic on the origjnal 78s. Sublime!
Proper put out a number of boxed sets (4CDs per) and then they got price reduced from $20 down to $8 each.
I'm taking my time going through each.
Also just got a honkin' sax set with some Big Jay McNeely.
Seems like Led Zeppelin would be up there.
They are all over License to Ill.
Just like any other type of music. You just have to turn off the radio and look elsewhere. Everything on the radio is designed to appeal to the most people, and therefore loses any edge it may have had.
That was when it was determined that the secret to “hit” rap songs was to lift the main riff from another hit song.
That was what made my radio show so great. Few listeners and even fewer callers. Free reign.
Yeah, the exorbitant fees bands charge these days for samples has pretty much put an end to that.
Slim Gaillard’s “Opera in Vout” just came up in my rotation.
Still fresh. Compare to today!
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